PML-N loyalists ‘unhappy’ with party leadership

LAHORE: The loyalists of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) came up with their complaints of being ignored after the election of 2013 as Maryam Nawaz on Sunday continued lobbying for mother Kulsom Nawaz’s campaign in NA-120.

It has been learnt that Maryam Nawaz, accompanied by Federal Minister for Commerce Perviez Malik, State Minister Maryium Aurangzeb, former information minister Perveiz Rashid and other PML-N ministers met local body representatives from PML-N and local leadership from provincial assembly constituency 139 at Model Town. This was the second day of the election campaign for her mother, who was in London for cancer treatment.

On Saturday, she along with a fleet of senior party leaders met the local body representatives from PML-N and local leadership from provincial assembly constituency 140. Source said she would launch door-to-door campaign after Eid. According to the party workers from PP139, who had arrived for a meeting with former PM’s daughter on Sunday, announcements were made through loudspeakers instructing the workers to leave their cellphones in their vehicles before proceeding towards the PML-N secretariat.

A party worker revealed that several local leaders have expressed their reservations to Maryam Nawaz. “Issues that we raise on UC level were not taken seriously by the Metropolitan Corporation or by the MPAs. She was informed that local leadership was only acknowledged during election 2013 whereas after elections, no one bothered to address their issues,” he said. He further said Maryam Nawaz has assured them of addressing their concerns forthwith. He said that it would have been much better, if workers had been given a chance to meet with Maryium Nawaz in absence of Lahore leadership and local MPA.

He said how can local party workers speak-up in front of Lahore Party President or their MPA. He said that MPA or senior party leadership take any complaint made to highups of the party, personally. He said that they have seen many examples of party workers paying the price for speaking up against their MPAs or MNAs. He said that despite their presence, party workers spoke in front of Maryam Nawaz but very cautiously. He said that enough to tacitly convey the message and without offending MPA or Lahore President. Another party worker said that we are lagging behind in the election campaign.

He said Maryam Nawaz was holding meetings in the comforts of party office whereas Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Yasmin Rashid was in the field for her door-to-door campaign. He said the by-polls could go sideways if these elections were not taken seriously.

He complained that many promises made to the people of his area were not fulfilled and same was the case with many other UCs. He said the party has a strong vote bank but an active door-to-door campaign by Maryam Nawaz was a must, if party was to win this by-election by a reasonable margin.

According to party workers from NA-120, Maryam Nawaz in 2013 had gone door-to-door seeking votes for her father. They said it was her campaign that got Nawaz Sharif a victory in the constituency.